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Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage
Introduction. A. After God created the world and all things therein, He
crowned it with a marriage. In this union God saw at least
two purposes being fulfilled.
1. Companionship - "And the LORD God said, 'It is not good
that man should be alone; I will make him a helper com-
parable to him.' Out of the ground the LORD God formed
every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and
brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And
whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its
name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of
the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam
there was not found a helper comparable to him. And the
LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he
slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the
flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had
taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her
to the man. (Gen. 2:18-22)
2. Perpetuation of the race - "So God created man in His own
image; in the image of God He created him; male and
female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God
said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth
and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea,
over the birds of the air, and over every living thing
that moves on the earth.'" (Gen. 1: 27-28)
B. It was a monogamous relationship as designed, but with the
fall of man into sin in Gen. 3, the relationship that God
had designed was also to suffer man's degradation.
1. Monogamy was replaced with polygamy
2. Separation replaced permanence.
a. The fact that the courts are filled with divorce cases
is a sure indication of the decadence of the home.
3. Divorce itself is not the evil - it is only the eruption
of the rottenness within the body of society.
C. In God's plan divorce was never intended. It was granted
under the old law because of the hardness of the hearts of
the people - Matt. 19:7-8
D. Yet today we find divorce for any cause has remained the law
of the land despite what God has to say. People feel if
they comply with the law of the land, then everything is
okay. But what does God say?
I. Context A. Pharisee's question Jesus about divorce.
1. They probably had in mind Deut. 24:1-4
2. It is most probable they held the Hillel (any cause)
position.
B. Jesus answer points to God's law at the beginning -
vs 4-6.
1. God created one man for one woman - Gen. 1:27
a. No spares just in case didn't work out
2. Mates must cleave to each other - Gen. 2:24
a. Cleave means, "to join fast together, to glue,
cement" - W. E. Vine
b. Because of this Gen. 2:24 should apply, not Deut.
24
3. A man & his wife are one flesh - Gen. 2:24
a. This suggests 1 in mind, spirit, goals, will and
emotion.
4. God has joined man & woman together in marriage.
a. "Joined" only used here (Matt. 19:9) & Mk. 10:9
b. It means "to fasten in one yoke, yoke together" -
Thayer, p. 594
C. Pharisees ask about Moses & bill of divorcement.
1. They wanted to discredit Jesus.
2. What does Deut. 24:1-4 say? "When a man takes a wife
and marries her, and it happens that she finds no
favor in his eyes because he has found some unclean-
ness in her, and he writes her a certificate of
divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his
house, when she has departed from his house, and goes
and becomes another man's wife, if the latter husband
detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce,
puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house,
or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife,
then her former husband who divorced her must not take
her back to be his wife after she has been defiled;
for that is an abomination before the LORD, and you
shall not bring sin on the land which the LORD your
God is giving you as an inheritance."
a. There is nothing said here to encourage divorce.
b. It simply prohibits the remarriage of the put away
woman to first husband.
c. Also, there is no sign of God's approval of divorce
or remarriage to second husband.
3. NASB - states as thing man does rather than saying may
do it.
4. Purpose of Deut. 24:1-4
a. Discourage frivolous divorces
b. If the husband had to give his wife a written paper
& could not take her back, it might cause him to
think before acting.
c. To take her back would pollute the land - Jer. 3:1
5. Another point to consider is, Jesus said Moses
"suffered".
a. This means he tolerated an already common practice.
b. No where did He say God approved. In fact Mal. 2:16
says God hates divorce.
(1). He even calls it treachery
c. Throughout O. T. God tolerated things He didn't
approve.
(1). polygamy
D. Jesus teaches His law.
1. Since fornication is violation of Gen. 2:24
2. Lord allows divorce for that cause.
II. The Exception Phrase A. Some have asked why Matthew is the only writer to include
exception.
1. Question being discussed was putting away for every
cause.
2. The other writers deal with the general rule.
a. Mk. 10:11-12
b. Lk. 16:18
III. Application Of Text A. Divorce
1. It is important to note Jesus does not require or
command divorce for fornication.
2. He says it is permissible with approval.
a. There are many reasons man recognizes for divorce.
b. But Jesus recognizes only one cause.
B. Remarriage
1. The blanket rule is remarriage constitutes adultery -
Rom. 7:2-3; Mk. 10:11-12
2. One exception to this rule is given - fornication
3. If the one who puts away remarries, that person
commits adultery if the divorce was not for forn-
ication.
4. If one put away remarries, adultery is always the
result, regardless of reason.
5. God does not allow any divorce in which both parties
are free to remarry.
C. All are under Gen. 2:24
1. All were under this law, as it was from the beginning.
2. Law of Moses which was given to Jews, did not change
condition of rest of world.
A. God only allows certain people to marry and remain accept-
able to Him.
Those are:
1. One who has never been married
a. Matt. 19:4-5
b. Heb. 13:4
c. 1 Cor. 7:2, 28
2. One whose mate is dead - Rom. 7:3
3. One who puts away his/her mate for fornication -
Matt. 5:32; 19:9
4. Those reconciling - 1 Cor. 7:11
B. If there are any others authorized, then we must find a
passage that allows it.
C. For anyone, inside or outside of Christ, to divorce for any
reason other than fornication removes any right they might
have to remarry, regardless of what the law of the land may
say.
D. For one to do so, causes that person and the one they marry
to commit adultery, which is in violation of God's word and
leads to destruction.
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